Oberfähnrich (OFähnr or OFR) designates in the Heer of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the last or highest Officer Aspirant (OA – de: Offizieranwärter) rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Portepeeunteroffizier ranks Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe, and Hauptbootsmann of Marine.
It is also grouped as OR-7 in NATO, equivalent to Sergeant 1st Class, Master Sergeant, or Chief Petty Officer in the US Armed forces, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.
In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberfähnrich also informally / short Oberfähnrich.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!
The top-down sequence of German Heer/ Luftwaffe, and Navy Officer Aspirant (OA) ranks is as follows:
Already below the lowest officer designated rank "Fahnenjunker" any military person, assigned to an officer career, has to wear additionally to the particular rank the two capital letters “OA”, indicating to the “Officer Aspirant” career. The "nautical star" symbolises the "OA" career.
Schütze OA (OR-1)
(Heer, service uniform, military musician service)